Just like top athletes, engines need clean, unobstructed airflow in order to perform their best. The maintenance chart for the SV650 recommends cleaning the air filter every 4,000 miles and replacing it every 11,000 miles. Here’s a step-by-step guide how to do it.
Like all of my how-to guides, this one’s written at an exhaustive level of detail to make things easy for those new to wrenching. If you’re experienced at performing your own maintenance, click here to skip right to the summary.
This guide will show you how to clean and replace the air filter on a 2007 SV650. These instructions cover all second gen models of SV650. Remember kids, consult your owners and service manuals for the final word.
Step 1: Gather the Required Tools and Materials
Tools
- large phillips head screwdriver
- hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
- bit driver
- air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)
Consumables
- air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
- paper or shop towels
A Note Regarding Air Filters
I’m keeping things simple and using a Suzuki OEM air filter as the replacement filter in this guide. There are aftermarket options, and many of them — actually all of them — claim some kind of wondrous performance boost if you buy one. If that kind of thing floats your boat, by all means, shell out the cash. Just know that you’ll probably need to make some adjustments to your fuel injection system (or rejet your carbs, if you have them). Such adjustments are beyond the scope of this guide, so you’ll need to do your own research if you decide to go with a performance air filter.
Step 2: Lift the Gas Tank
The gas tank must be lifted in order to access the airbox that houses the air filter, and to do that, you’ll also need to remove the seat. Use the 4mm hex (allen) bit to loosen the 2 bolts on the plastic trim covers below the seat. There’s a cover on each side of the bike. Remove both covers and set them aside.
A 4mm hex bit will loosen the bolt on the trim cover.
Then, use the same 4mm bit to loosen the 2 tank bolts. I like to use a T handle bit driver to reach these bolts.
My trusty T handle bit driver.
Whatever you do, don’t drop your bit around this part of the bike!
Next, use the 6mm hex bit to loosen the 2 bolts holding down the seat. There’s one on each side of the bike.
A 6mm hex bit will loosen the bolts on both sides of the seat.
Once the seat is loose, lift it up by the edge closest to the gas tank, then pull the seat forward until it slides free. Remove the passenger seat and grab the gas tank prop. Use it to prop the gas tank up by one of the tank bolt holes.
Lifting the gas tank will expose the airbox.
Step 3: Remove the Airbox Cover
Locate the screws holding the airbox cover in place. Use a large phillips screwdriver to loosen all 7 screws. The plastic guides will prevent you from being able to separate the screws from the top cover. That’s a good thing — less things to lose!
Use the large phillips screwdriver to loosen each screw.
This screw is easy to overlook. It's the one closest to the seat.
Once the screws are loosened, lift the cover straight off. The air filter will usually remain attached to the cover, so gently separate it from the cover and set it aside.
Can you tell which is the dirty air filter?
Step 4: Clean the Airbox Sponge
Locate the sponge inside the airbox.
It may look clean from this side...
But the other side's probably gunked up.
Use a paper or shop towel to mop up the goop. I also like to wipe down inside the area where the sponge sits. When finished, put the sponge back in its place.
Now we’ve reached a fork in the road, because the next steps are different depending on if you’re going to clean the air filter, or replace it entirely.
Step 5a: Clean the Air Filter
Fire up your air compressor and get your blow gun ready. Hold the air filter so that the side with the mesh screen is facing you. Use the blow gun to blow air through the filter from the mesh screen side. In other words, point the end of the blow gun at the mesh screen and let ‘er rip. Don’t force air through from the other side — you’ll push the dirt deeper into the filter which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish!
Step 5b: New Air Filter
A Suzuki OEM air filter.
This one’s about as easy as it gets: take the new air filter out of the packaging and proceed to the next step.
Step 6: Replace the Air Filter and Airbox Cover
Take the filter and push it back into the airbox cover. The mesh screen will face down toward the engine.
The air filter fits neatly into the airbox cover.
Set the cover and filter onto the base of the airbox. Use the phillips screwdriver to tighten the 7 cover screws.
Step 7: Lower Gas Tank and Replace Seat
Remove the gas tank prop and lower the gas tank. Replace the 2 bolts at the front of the gas tank. Put the seat back on and replace the 2 seat bolts. Push the side trim covers back into place and replace the 2 side cover bolts. At this point, everything should be back together again. You’re done!
Summary
Tools
- large phillips head screwdriver
- hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
- bit driver
- air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)
Consumables
- air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
- paper or shop towels
Steps
- Remove seat and lift the gas tank.
- Remove airbox cover.
- Clean or replace the air filter.
- Re-install air filter and replace airbox cover.
- Lower gas tank and replace seat.
Fin.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Could the filter be any more complicated to get to? I guess most bikes are that way. I like how the manual says “make note of how the airbox cover is attached before removing”. AKA good luck putting it back together.
Pfft. The V-Strom air filter requires the tank be removed, which means you must also remove at least half of the front bodywork.
It’s one reason I replace the air filter every 40k miles, whether it needs it or not.